California Gov. Gavin Newsom sets summer special election for Swalwell's seat

Andrew Menezes, CQ-Roll Call on Apr 15, 2026

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, issued a proclamation Tuesday setting up an Aug. 18 special election to fill the remaining term of Democratic former Rep. Eric Swalwell, who resigned in the face of multiple sexual misconduct allegations.

A special primary election for California’s 14th District will take place on June 16, two weeks after the state’s regular primary. Under state law, all candidates run on the same ballot in the primary, and if no one takes more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to the August election. The winner of the special election will serve the remainder of the term that ends in January 2027.

Swalwell has represented San Francisco’s East Bay area in Congress since 2013. Ahead of his resignation Tuesday, he ended his campaign for governor of California after several former staffers accused him of a wide range of sexual misconduct, including rape. Swalwell apologized for his “mistakes in judgment” but has denied the accusations and said he will “fight the serious, false allegation made against me.”

Swalwell, who was facing a House Ethics Committee inquiry before his resignation, was not the only embattled congressman exiting the chamber on Tuesday. Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas also resigned more than a month after revelations of an affair with a staff member, who later died by suicide.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, has yet to announce a special election for Gonzales’ seat, which Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales currently rates as competitive.

In contrast, California’s 14th District is a Democratic stronghold. Nine candidates are already running to succeed Swalwell in the June 2 primary for the full term that begins in 2027, including state Sen. Aisha Wahab, Bay Area Rapid Transit Board President Melissa Hernandez and San Leandro City Council member Victor Aguilar Jr.

Following the resignations of Swalwell and Gonzales, there are now four vacancies in the House, two from each party. New Jersey’s 11th District is set to hold a special election Thursday to replace Democrat Mikie Sherrill, who resigned last fall after being elected governor.

And California’s 1st District has a vacancy following the death of Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa in January. A special election for LaMalfa’s remaining term will take place on Aug. 4 if no candidate takes more than 50% of the vote in the June 2 primary.

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—Nina Heller contributed to this report.